St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-10-15
HANDLING CHILDREN.

HANDLING CHILDREN
An l.psrsa.s Asesss WAssA Dsss Nos
Rsessvs ths Aeessssss II Deserves
Few people are aware Of the damage
that il done to children BY improper
handling. Babies arc too often re-
zarded rs beings to b amused ut any
.ost, with no thought that they may
be harmed by many Of the amusements
in which most people indulge to please
them. They are tossed high in the air
with . jerky motion. time after time.
by people who seem to have nm idea
that the greater shaking up shey can
give the babies the better it is for the
little ones amusement ''Oh. 1t
doesn't hurt baby to toss It like this;
II it did you would very soon hear it cry:
Il likes it; see how it crows and laughs"
Just as though baby knew what was
rood for it. To be sure, the little one
thinks it good sport and will laugh
and crow and even cry for q repetition
Of the amusement. but this is no reason
why it should be indulged in when It is
known to be positively harmful to the
baby. Nobody would think Of such q
thing as giving . child poison because
it was sweet and the little
one liked the taste Of it An
other way Of pleasing the baby. or play
ing with il. is to lay it across the
persons lap and lower the head
and shoulders. and when the little one
commences to fuss bring them up with
a sudden motion enough to make any
one dizzy. Few people can lower their
heads in the same way and not feel the
effects of it. Frequently such people
saw: IL cant even stoop without get
ting dizzy; it hurts my head very much
when l have to pick up any thing.
They never think that could the baby
speak it would very likely make the
same.c e.complaint II child lifts kit
ten by the tail. or makes wheelbar-
row out Of it by lifting the hind feet.
thereby forcing the cat to walk on its
fore feet with hind feet 10 far up in the
air that it has the appearance Of walk
ing on its head. the mother Of the
child, very justly, compels the little
one to desist. pointing out to him the
cruelty Of his play. II woman ID
careful Of an animal in this way how
much more should she be careful Of the
baby. No mother. having the welfare
Of her children at heart win. on any
account, allow any one. either visitor
or one of the family. to amuse or rlay
with the baby in the ways mentio net
above. A child who has predisposi
ton to any head trouble will not dc
rive any benefit from this treatment
but, ON the contrary. great deal o
damage.
some mothers take the baby out o
its crib the moment it opens its eyes
when il is really only half-awake. Thi
} is a very poor plan. They should wal
until the child is thoroughly awake be
fore removing it, and then lift it slow
. IL. and not with jerk. as ! have sec'
; some mothers do. Very often womc'
are heard to say: ''lgot out OF bed to
quickly this morning. my head ha
been aching all day" II mother
would reason that = baby might b
affected in the same way they woul'
very quickly admit the cause OF baby
D fretfuiness to be something moro thai
the Immature to which it il usually u
, tributed.
Mothers should be careful To whor
they intrust their children when out o
their sight, and should Be assured tha
0 the person. either child or adult. shal
thoroughly understand how - carr.
tho baby properly. II. 10 astonishin
how many people there are who do nc
understand the carrying OF baby. A
most any day ON the streets can be me-
0 not only children. but women. VIII
ought to know better. carrying bsbie
ON their arms, sitting bolt upright
o with no support whatever to thel
backs A child must have wonder
n fully strong spine to stand this kind
. treatment for any length Of time with
y out being harmed by it. and mother
. Of such children should b thankfu
that II does not bring on . spin
b trouble from which the little ono ma
. never recover.
u Another very common thing fr
Il quently seen on the street h woms
y holding . li:tle child BY the hand. Il
. woman walking very erect new
d thinking to stoop . little 70 - TO .
commodate herself to the height Of d
= little one, and the latter. reaching /,
20 high to keep hold Of the woman
hand, that only its toes come in ccnta
!" with the ground. Is being dragg
n along at quite . lively rate Of spec
le When crossing is to b passed. 9
child is lifted up BY the arm. down o.
- curb and up the other. - carelessly
though it were . rag doll. In Nh
- years the mother Of child such as Il
!. viii wonder why il ID that one Of
shoulders is higher than the other. n
=, no matter to what cause she may
sign il, she will seldom place the bl.l
., where il Justly belongs One d
:. while on the street / noticed In mo
very tall woman and BY her sidt
- yery small child. Tho sleeve OF
" h.ter's dress was brought down o.
ono wrist and around this was q
:. loosely one end Of . narrow ribbon. I
other end Of the ribbon being held
the woman. When . crossing wss
be passed over. the woman lifted
=. child down and up the curb careful
~ aud continued her way slowly. the